Heloise: Perfume use varies

Dear readers: In a recent column, I explained how to layer scents of a favorite perfume. I asked how many perfumes you have, and the responses varied greatly! You wrote in with not only the number of perfumes, but also asking for a reminder that many people are highly sensitive to perfumes. Here are some comments:

■ Kathy in California wrote: “I’m a perfume junkie. I have 45 bottles. Each morning, I choose a fragrance for the day. I don’t feel dressed without my perfume.”

■ Jan in Texas wrote, “I have been wearing the same perfume since I was a senior in high school back in 1969, which means I have been wearing it 43 years or so.”

■ Jody, via email, said, “I have well over 200-plus full-size bottles of fragrances. I love having a choice.”

On the other side:

■ Tracey, via email, said: “Too bad you didn’t discourage use of perfumes and scented lotions instead of showing how to layer fragrances to make it ‘more.’ Too many, including myself, are overly sensitive to chemical fragrances and can barely stand to even walk near a perfume-wearing person.”

■ Donna, via email, said: “Please ask your readers to go light on these, as many of us are allergic to them. For me, perfume makes my nose burn and eyes water, and then I get a headache.”

This is an ongoing and very common complaint. — Heloise

Dear Heloise: If you have an indoor cat (or cats), invest in a heavy-duty litter scoop. I purchased one that is larger than the typical plastic one. It is made of metal, with a rubberized material on the handle. It provides a better grip and is larger and longer, so you don’t have to bend down quite so far. The metal does not flex like plastic does, making the scooping easier. It will last forever and is money well-spent. — Nancy in New Hampshire

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 210-HELOISE or email it to heloise@heloise.com.